Love Seeks Not Her Own

 Charity..."seeketh not her own..." I Corinthians 13:5

Over the years, we’ve had several dogs. Presently, we have a border collie we’ve called, Lizzie (short for Queen Elizabeth). We’ve had a cheweenie we’ve called Brownie, and before both of these dog a German Shepherd we called Jasmine. Before Jasmine, we had a sweet old monster of a dog named Bizmark. None of them resembled the others, in particular, Jasmine and Bizmark were complete opposites in personality. Where Jasmine was all about fun and thrills, Bizmark was about loyally guarding and lending an empathetic ear--well, that is how we choose to remember him.

We tend to give dogs high regard for their faithfulness, their loyalty, and their friendship. In truth, they are all about themselves. Yes, I love dogs and, I confess, much prefer their company to some people's company (dogs are less judgmental), but the reality is, they're all about themselves.

Jasmine loved grand adventures. If we happen to be going in and out of the front door too much, she could hardly contain herself. She'd whine and howl and pace. As the number of passings through the door increased, her whine intensified. She’d even break the "no dog on the couches" rule just to see us out the front window. One could easily mistake her antics as missing us and worrying about where we were. Boy, was that wrong.

First chance Jasmine could get, she’d bolt out the front door, smiling face, tail straight out and running like a crazed lunatic from house to house, through flowerbeds, greeting each neighbor’s dog, and dodging cars, kids, and anyone who threatens to stop her.

No, all that whining in the house was about her wanting to get out and have some fun. Had nothing to do with worrying about us.

So, we’d go after her whistling and calling and what would she do? Play the Gingerbread Boy Game, "Catch me if you can." She’d run straight at us and between our legs and the expression on her face was one of pure ecstasy. Oh, she was having fun. Then like lightning, she's down the street at the next neighbor's house and would stop, look over her shoulder and laugh...well, that's what it seemed like. As soon as we would get close enough to possibly grab her collar, she’d streak by us with her tail straight out, a taunting flag of victory.

Eventually she would tire (after we've spent many precious minutes and embarrassing nose dives), and she’d allow us to capture her.

No. I'm quite certain that Jasmine did not love us...at least not when a good chase could be had.

However, I must confess with shame on my face that I too can fake a great concern for someone with a motivation to obtain what I want. Come on now, you've done it too. We all have plural motives. Sometimes we help someone just for the prestige. Sometimes we help someone just to get attention. Sometimes we help someone so that he will owe us one later.

But true love will not go through life seeking to satisfy her own desires. We have an example of true love in Christ.

God didn't need to create us with a will. He didn't need us at all. But He did for His glory and His good pleasure--and then we let Him down. The sin in our life is repulsive to Him. Have you ever lied? Read Proverbs 6:16-19.

"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

I'm thinking pretty much everyone has told a lie at some time in his life, so yes, everyone has done abominable things.

Did you know that liars are destined for the lake of fire? Read Revelations 21:8.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Now picture God agonizing over the thought that you are going to be in that lake of fire. Because He loves you, He doesn't want that for you. He's going to do all He can to rescue you. So, He comes down to earth as Jesus Christ, endures all sorts of hardships, and ultimately submits Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross, dying for your sins.

He didn't have to do it. No one could make Him, but He chose to, because He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (yup, that's you and me). Ezekiel 33:11

"...I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:..."

Can you beat that for love? God didn't seek His own. He could have destroyed us and created a new being to worship Him (He has the angels, after all). We don't deserve to live, but He gave up Heaven, suffered and died just for us.

Think you can follow His example of love?

Writing and Revival

This week our church held revival meetings, so I have had less time to work. 

However part of being an effective Christian writer is having a right relationship with God. Without this relationship there is simply no basis to call yourself a Christian writer. Therefore the time spent at the meetings was worth every second. 

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

When I felt the Lord pressing me to write, I needed to pray. I needed to be sure that this was the direction the Lord would have me go. While I love to write, it does not supercede my passion for God's Word and the message of God's love. 

The greatest message I could ever share with another person glorifies God: 

the salvation from our slavery to sin through the death, burial and resurrection of of Lord Jesus Christ--That indeed we can receive eternal life and a relationship with God when we repent, recognizing our sinful nature and need for a savior, and call upon the name of the Lord. 

We are drawn to the Lord because our make-up is to worship something. My words must draw my readers to worship God. Worshiping God begins with salvation.

While not every story I write lends itself to the presentation of the Gospel, I would hope that a reader, having enjoyed one such story, would pick up another that has the clear message of the Gospel. 

I believe in the importance of discipleship, which I think can readily be done through a well written piece of fiction, but no discipleship can happen if the person doesn't first believe, therefore the greater message is the Gospel. 

To write the Gospel will bring offense:

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15:9) 

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me." John 16:1-3. 

However, I am commanded from scripture to do just that:

"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel..." (Mark 16:15). 

Therefore, if my work is completely void of this most important message to mankind I am not obeying God and cannot glorify Him. Sermons can be preached on this, books can be written, but the bottom-line: for me to glorify God, I must surrender everything to Him, including my writing, and that means my writing will have a message. 

Once this purpose was established in my heart my work on my knees just began. Daily I must pray for my readers. Daily I must lay my work before the Lord and ask that His hand be in it. Daily I must surrender my thoughts, my mind, and my heart to the Lord so that I will work according to His perfect will. These are essential. Without praying and committing myself to the Lord I might as well lay down my pen for my work would be worthless. 

To God be all glory, honor, power and praise!